CULTURE
Pick Up Stories
October 17th, Okinawa Soba Day [CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT Gourmet LIFE]
A bowl of soba is to Okinawa what a hamburger is to America. Here on the island you can see Okinawa soba signs everywhere. It has become ent...Read More
Naha City’s World Record Giant Tug-of-Wa… [CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT Festival]
The Naha Giant Tug-of-War is the largest of its kind throughout the world. This feat was officially recognized and recorded into annals of t...Read More
Itoman Tug-of-War marks end of summer [CULTURE CURRENT ISSUE ENTERTAINMENT]
Many Okinawan farmers and fishermen, in some form or fashion, pay tribute to the Gods, seeking their blessing and favor for a great harvest ...Read More
2023.12.31
Visiting Okinawan Shrines for the New Year [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Have you ever partaken in a Hatsumoude? Have you even heard of a “Hatsumoude”? “Hatsumoude” is a Japanese custom where Japanese people pay a visit to a shrine or temple on January ...
2023.12.28
What do you do on Okinawa during the New Year? [CULTURE]
It’s finally the end of the year 2023, and so it’s time to ask how was your year 2024? Good memories, bad memories, each person has their own. Probably many local people are still ...
2023.12.09
Okinawa Holiday Season Illumination Guide 2023!! [Community ENTERTAINMENT]
OKinawa Illumination Guide!! Okuma illumination Nov.1 ~ Feb. 29 From sunset till dawn @Okuma Private Beach &Resort (913 Okuma Kunigami Village) https://okumaresort.com/season...
2023.11.01
Former Japanese Imperial Navy Underground Headquarters [History]
The Former Japanese Imperial Navy Underground Headquarters was built as a bombproof shelter for the Japanese Navy in 1944 towards the end of the World War II in the border area bet...
2023.09.20
OkiEvents this week!! [CULTURE Festival]
・9/24 Yomitan Eisa Festival @ Yomitan Athletic Field 16:00~21:00 Free to enter https://www.facebook.com/okiseikyo PIN: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GFaoXBecSA6w1L58A ・Uruma Paripi Festi...
2023.08.15
“Eisa”, Okinawa’s Famed Tradition [CULTURE CURRENT ISSUE ENTERTAINMENT LIFE]
These days, when people think of Okinawa, the first image that may spring to mind are dancers clad in ceremonious garb armed with taiko drums and folding hand fans. This is Eisa; a...
2023.04.19
Hamauri ritual purifies body of evil spirits [Community CURRENT ISSUE]
Hamauri is one of Okinawa’s oldest customs, a time when people cleanse themselves of evil spirits. On Mar. 3rd of the lunar calendar (April 22nd of the Gregorian Calendar in 203), ...
2022.11.10
Shuri Mifila ③ Nishi-nu-fila [Ryukyu History]
Nishi-nu-fila; Nishi means ‘West’ in Japanese, but in the Okinawa dialect ‘Nishi’ means “North” and thus Nishi-nu-fila district was located north of Shuri Castle. Curre...
2022.11.08
Shuri Mifila ② Maaji-nu-fila [Ryukyu History]
Maaji-nu-fila was southwest of Shurijo Castle. From an aerial view, it is spread out like a shape of a fan. It is where now the current Mawashi, Ikehata, Yamagawa, Samukawa, and K...
2022.11.05
Shuri Mifila ① Hae-nu-fila [Ryukyu History]
As aforementioned last article, during the Ryukyu Kingdom era, Shuri grew into three prominent districts: “Hae-nu-fila”, “Maaji-nu-fila” and “Nishi-nu-fila”. Hae-nu-fila was locate...
2022.09.17
Land-locked Haebaru’s name is quite special [Okinawa Series]
Haebaru Town is the only municipality on Okinawa that doesn’t face the ocean, being land-locked and surrounded by six other cities and towns immediately southeast of Naha City. Its...
2022.08.23
Castle ruins is center point to Nakagusuku region [Okinawa Series]
By Jun Ikemura Nakagusuku Village is the second in Japan in terms of population density, following Kitanakagusuku Village, and has also been a key community dating to the 15th cent...
2022.05.08
Okinawa’s wide variety of fruit and vegetables [CULTURE]
There are a wide variety of vegetables grown and consumed on Okinawa, a lot of which are unique to the island. In fact, a good number of Okinawa vegetables are such local specialti...
2022.05.07
Urasoe City: From Past to Present [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Urasoe City is located in the southern half of the Okinawa main island. Though it seems overshadowed by its neighboring city, Naha, which is the prefectural capital of Okinawa, bac...
2022.04.02
Shisa get their day on Sunday [History Living]
April 3 is the “Day of Shisa” in Okinawa. Four is SHI, and three is SAN in Japanese. This is why April 3rd is the Day of Shisa. The day was established in 2002 to expand Shisa from...
2022.02.12
A Look Underneath Ginowan City’s Natural Water System [Okinawa Series]
Ginowan City is the 5th populated city in Okinawa and has rapidly changed its urban makeup over the years. This is especially true for places like Oyama, Mashiki, and Uchidomari di...
2022.02.10
Old Katsuren Town ⑤ Henna & Heshikiya districts [Okinawa Series]
Waitwui Waitwui is a road once used heavily by farmers. It is well known for its rock walls features on both sides. The road is located in Henna District of old Katsuren town. The ...
2022.02.08
Old Katsuren Town ④ Tsuken Island [Okinawa Series]
Tsuken Island is a remote island off the coast of Katsuren, and like Hamahiga, was part of old Katsuren Town. Visitors need to take a ferry to the island. It is just a 30-minutes r...
2022.02.06
Old Katsuren Town ③ Katsuren Castle Ruins [Okinawa Series Ryukyu History]
Katsuren Castle was built around the 11~12th century and has been the focal point at one time in Okinawa’s history. One Okinawa’s great lords, Lord Amawari, had presided over the c...
2022.02.04
Old Katsuren Town ② Hamahiga Island [Okinawa Series]
Hamahiga Island is connected to Henza Island which in turn is connected to the main Okinawa Island. Henza, Miyagi, Ikei islands were part of old Yonashiro Town, but Hamahiga was a ...
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